The Labor enquirer., 1887-07-16

laws, and has not been insubordinate in
any way to the laws Of the order. But it
does not and will not recognize the right
of the general executive board to interfere
in its district affairs, to order strike in
their trade or declare one of. In reply to
Mr.. Powderly's statement that it is ridic-
ulous for us to say that personal spite
was the motive Of the general officers to
expel Us, can say that Mr.. Powderly
knows himself in his own heart that per
sonal spite has prompted the general
board and has prompted him, and that
one great cause for the personal spite
has been my opposition to the so-called
home club The evidence Of this, II
printed, would be so damaging to some
Of the members Of the board in the Opin-
ion Of the order at large that they could
not stand IL.
"And Mr.. Powderly we'll knows that it
was preconcerted plan to hush up the
home club matter at Richmond in order
to save from disgrace those who are high
in the order. would ask Mr.. Powderly
II he would please inform the public as to
what he saw presented to T. B. Mcclure
and James z. Quinn against himself be-
fore the investigating committee. If this
labor movement could be held back at all,
it would be held back by the general ex-
ecutive board. What has the general
board done in handling labor troubles!
Can they show q successful fight against
any capitalist worth while calling vio-
tory for labors Has not the executive
boards record been record OF blunders
that have actually placed labor in worse
position than IL was before they handled
any of its affairss Again is Lot the gen.
eral executive boards time more taken up
in building fences for reelection than in
looking after the interests of the working
massesf
"Mr. Powderly says that the leaders Of
district assembly 1875 are violent mem
men of stamp that he doesn't want in
the order. No, he doesn't want us in the
order because We are too honest and are
not afraid Of fighting for our honor,
and in the courage Of our convictions to
expose wrong g-doing, even though it be
in high positions. That's the reason he
says our sympathixers are Of the Western
anarchistic element His statement about
getting rid Of mslcontents is curious.
"Any person who dares to do his own
thinking or express his own opinion is
'malcontent.' And, of course, such people
are dangerous to the existing administra.
tion. Like all despotic governments the
general board believes that all dissatisfied
subjects must be expelled from the order
or be silenced. We don't know whether
the anarchists sympathize with us or not.
We do know that all thinking people in
the order who do not wear the collar OF
slavery sympathize with us. II they are
anarchists we can't help it. ..|
LET il be known that although Mr..
Powderly denounces Socialism he himself
was a Socialist and paid his dues to the
executive committee Of the Socialistio
Labor Party as recently as 1883. On the
floor of the general assembly that met in
New York that year, the secretary of the
Socialistic Labor Party in his defense of
Socialism stated that L. V. Powderly was
a member Of that party and held card
Of membership then in his pocket. Mr..
Powderly was present and acted as mas
ter workman of that general assembly
while that speech was made. l myself,
Notwithstanding Mr.. Powderlys assertion,
do not belong to any anarchistic society.
NV record is too we'll known for Mr.. Pow
derly's statement to be believed.
"Mr. Powderly speaks about members
Of the order giving out information to
the public press. We find that the gener-
al executive board, on every occasion,
rush into print, and dwhile they denounce
other people for acts committed they do
worse themselves. They would prevent
any member of the order from communi-
eating with any other member in another
par. of the country, fearing that the mem
bers may become too well acquainted and
become dangerous to the general officers.
Most Of the information that is sup
posed to be secret and is furnished to the
public press, halls from those high in the
order"
L ~ -sra..